Junet calls on gov’t to stop barricading roads amid Azimio mass action

Suna East Member of Parliament (MP) Junet Mohammed says the government should stop barricading roads and highways across the country amid Azimio la Umoja’s call for mass action.

In a statement shared via his official Twitter account, the lawmaker strongly affirmed that the move undermined the citizen’s right to demonstrate as well as their freedom of expression and movement.

“Ruto must desist from barricading roads/highways across our country, especially roads he never built. All road barricades politically erected must be removed. We in #MDD do not expect him to achieve anything, but we won’t accept his attempt to turn Kenya into a failed state,” he stated.

He, however, pointed out that regardless of the directives imposed, nothing would stop the opposition from proceeding with the mass action which he says is aimed to erode President William Ruto’s legitimacy.

“Political rights of Kenyans will not be sacrificed at the alter of an illegitimate regime hiding behind the security apparatus of our country to cling to power. Kenya was free before Ruto. It must remain so. We reject Ruto’s attempt to curtail free movement of Kenyans,” the statement reads in parts.

“The right to demonstrate and picket, freedom of assembly and expression and movement will be jealously guarded. No amount of intimidation, threats, fearmongering and securitization of the state will make #MDD abandon these constitutional safeguards against dictatorship,” the MP added.

1/ Ruto must desist from barricading roads/highways across our country, especially roads he never built. All road barricades politically erected must be removed. We in #MDD do not expect him to achieve anything, but we won’t accept his attempt to turn Kenya into a failed state.

— JUNET MOHAMED, CBS (@JunetMohamed) March 10, 2023

Resistance movement

On Thursday, March 9, 2023, Azimio Supremo Raila Odinga launched a resistance movement to pressure President Ruto’s administration.

Dubbed, Movement for the Defence of Democracy (MDD) the political outfit will among other things lead in peaceful protests, sit-ins and boycotts aimed at forcing the government to make life more bearable for Kenyans.

Police in Kisumu barricaded roads that led to Kisumu State Lodge prior to the launch of the outfit at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga foundation in Nairobi.

Yesterday, Friday, March 10, 2023, Raila’s entourage was blocked by police officers as they were heading to the home of Grace Onyango.

Raila, who was in the company of Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o, former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni and National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi were forced to remove police barriers at the Kisumu state lodge diversion.

Enraged by the blockade, Raila, Governor Anyang Nyong’o and Opiyo Wandayi disembarked from their vehicles and engaged the officers.

The security officers allowed the opposition leaders to proceed with their journey after an altercation.

The opposition chief and his allies were from a rally in Migori county, where they reiterated their threat to mass action.